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Contributing to OwlArch Linux Distribution

Thank you for contributing to OwlArch! This guide helps you contribute to our malware analysis/OSINT-focused Arch Linux distribution. Follow these steps to ensure smooth integration of your changes.

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Repository Structure

.
├── vm/               # ISO build configuration
│   ├── airootfs/         # Base filesystem skeleton
│   ├── packages.x86_64   # Package list for ISO
│   └── profiledef.sh     # Build profile settings
└── ...

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Adding/Updating Tools

1. Adding New Security Tools

1. Update vm/packages.x86_64 with package name
   ```diff
   • ghidra
   • volatility ```
2. For AUR packages:
   • Add --makepkg-conf parameter in Docker build step
   • Ensure dependencies are in official repos or included in the ISO

2. Customizing Tools

• Modify vm/airootfs/etc/skel/ for default configurations
• Add post-install scripts in vm/airootfs/root/customize_airootfs.sh

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Branching & Pull Requests

Branch Strategy

• main: Stable production-ready ISO builds
• feature/*: Experimental changes (automatically tested)

PR Requirements

• Valid packages.x86_64 entries
• Tested ISO build via Docker
• Documentation updated in docs/
• Security tools verified for malware analysis compatibility

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Testing Locally

Full ISO Build Test

# Clone repository  
git clone https://github.com/Leku2020/OwlArch
cd OwlArch

# Run build container  
docker run --rm -v $(pwd):/build -w /build archlinux:latest bash -c "  
  pacman -Syu --noconfirm &&  
  pacman -S --noconfirm archiso &&  
  mkarchiso -v -w /build/work -o /build/out ./vm  
"  

# Test ISO in QEMU  
qemu-system-x86_64 -cdrom out/owlArch-*.iso -m 4G  

Partial Tests

1. Package List Validation:

   pacman -Syu --noconfirm && pacman -S --noconfirm - < relenvmg/packages.x86_64  
   

2. Configuration Checks:

   shellcheck vm/airootfs/root/customize_airootfs.sh  
   

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Common Issues

Build Failures

• Missing Dependencies: Ensure all packages in packages.x86_64 exist in:
  • Official Arch repos
  • OwlArch repo
  • AUR (with proper build instructions)
• Filesystem Conflicts: Check for overlapping files in airootfs/

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Deployment Process

For ISOs

On main branch push:

1. GitHub Actions builds ISO

On manual launch:

1. GitHub Actions builds ISO
2. Uploads artifact to Releases

For Pages: On main branch push:

1. Updates documentation at OwlArch Docs

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Getting Help

• Build Logs: GitHub Actions
• Community: Discussions
• Examples:
  • Tool Integration
  • ISO Customization

Help us keep OwlArch sharp for malware analysis and OSINT operations! 🦉🔍